Seafood feast near Daeheung Station, Mapo: Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada

A taste and freshness that go perfectly with the autumn sky! It had been a while since my coworkers and I got together for a casual drink, but because our meeting spot was awkwardly around Daeheung Station, we spent ages wondering where to go. With a group coming together, finding somewhere everyone would love—from the menu to the atmosphere—took quite a bit of searching.

Oh? Right! It’s autumn, isn’t it? It was also the welcome gizzard shad season—the fish so delicious it supposedly brings a runaway daughter-in-law back home—and we really wanted a generous spread to lift the mood, above all with properly fresh sashimi. After choosing so carefully, we headed without hesitation to freshness-filled Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada (제철담은 마포바다).

With its neat exterior welcoming you in, this place is known for letting you enjoy the most delicious seasonal seafood all in one spot, just as its name suggests.

In the tanks outside were scallops and sea squirts, clearly larger than average at a glance!

Seeing the fish in the aquarium, with their thick flesh and striking appearance, made me even more excited for the fresh seafood we had picked for our company dinner.

Sashimi really is best when you can see the live fish yourself and enjoy it at a seafood restaurant this fresh.

Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada near Daeheung Station: location and visitor information

• Hours: weekdays 17:00–23:00; weekends 12:00–23:00
• Last order: 21:30
• Break time: 15:00–17:00
• Closed every Tuesday
• Group seating, Wi-Fi, high chairs, and separate restrooms for men and women

Restrooms at nearby places had been quite inconvenient, but these were clearly separated for men and women and kept clean, which was satisfying from a hygiene standpoint too.

For parking at Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada, you need to use a nearby parking lot, but it is only a little over 100 m away, so it is not burdensome—and being near the station is actually a plus. ※ Please ask the restaurant and check in advance before using the parking lot.

What comes in the Mapo Bada Signature Set

The variety immediately caught my eye: salt-grilled live shrimp and assorted sashimi, grilled gizzard shad, boiled pork, abalone innards porridge, and spicy fish stew.

Should we go with individual dishes? What if there isn’t enough food?

Since we are big eaters, we considered ordering separately, but the set that let us enjoy every specialty at once felt much more substantial and reasonable.

• Salt-grilled shrimp and grilled fresh shrimp
• Gizzard shad sashimi, four kinds of assorted sashimi, and grilled gizzard shad
• Assorted seafood: scallops, abalone, sea cucumber, and sea squirts
• Live octopus, abalone porridge, boiled pork wraps, assorted fritters, and steamed egg

I’m moved….

The Mapo Bada Signature Set that keeps coming

Wow! This is coming out so well! Haha, wow! Make room for the grilled shrimp! Whoa! They’re bringing us something else?! Huh?! Room! Make room!! Hurry, put the sushi on a plate first and make room!

The joy of being able to eat so generously from dishes that just kept coming—and the simultaneous worry about table space—were both very real!

Thick-cut assorted sashimi and abalone innards porridge

At a seafood restaurant, sashimi is the star first! Four kinds of assorted sashimi, carefully selected from that day’s freshest fish, arrive sliced thick.

With its springy texture and vivid freshness, the quality is enough to satisfy even people who care deeply about their sashimi. The assorted platter included red seabream, rockfish, flounder, sea bream, gizzard shad, and raw shrimp, so we could enjoy a variety of flavors and textures at once!

The abalone innards porridge and seaweed soup were perfect for warming up hungry stomachs! There was plenty of abalone in the porridge too, making it rich and delicious.

A seafood plate from scallops to live octopus

Fresh seafood carrying the scent of the sea filled the plate by type. The selection was satisfying, with scallops, sea squirts, sea cucumber, and abalone too!

There was no fishiness at all; it was so fresh.

Chopped live octopus dressed with sesame oil! It was wonderfully nutty and chewy at the same time—really delicious.

Clear, translucent flounder sushi! The chewy texture and clean flavor are exactly what live-fish sushi should be.

Nutty grilled gizzard shad and unexpectedly perfect boiled pork wraps

The golden-brown grilled gizzard shad was nutty to the absolute max. When I took a big bite, its soft yet savory-salty flavor spread through my mouth and a wave of satisfaction naturally followed!

At first, it was a little unexpected to see bossam (boiled pork wraps) at a seafood restaurant, but the tender, odor-free boiled pork with well-fermented kimchi was a wonderful combination, and we enjoyed it deliciously to the end.

Assorted fritters! The batter was beautifully colored and fried so crisp that we enjoyed them immensely. Honestly, with so much food already, I wondered if we could even eat fritters too! But they were delicious, so we finished them. Why was I worried?

Fresh shrimp transforming deliciously! Seeing the shrimp that had been jumping around turn red and cook so appetizingly naturally brought a smile to my face. Properly grilled shrimp had their nuttiness and umami maximized, with a perfect flavor. If you set the shrimp heads aside and collect them, they will even brush them with butter and grill them for you!

Peeling the shells is fun in itself, and with those crisp grilled heads alongside, there is simply no better drinking snack.

If you want a full spread of gizzard shad and seasonal seafood

From fresh seasonal sashimi and an assorted seafood platter like treasures from the sea to filling boiled pork wraps and fritters, nothing was missing at Jaecheoldameun Mapo Bada. Thanks to the thoughtfully prepared table and generous hospitality, we had a lovely time throughout the meal.

If you want a generous one-table feast of fresh sashimi and various specialties for a date by Gyeongui Line Forest Park or a Mapo company dinner course, or if you are looking for a can’t-miss place for an upcoming gathering, do pay a visit. An excellent meal that fills your mouth with the flavors of the sea awaits.